Photos: Eve of the shutdown

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St. Paul, MN, USA — Retired teacher Polly Kellogg joined others at a rally at the Capitol in St. Paul, Minn. Thursday, June 30, 2011. (MPR Photo/Jeffrey Thompson) link to this photo

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St. Paul, MN, USA — With the help of Carl Gibson of Jackson, Miss., Chris Tierney of St. Paul let his voice be heard during a rally at the Capitol in St. Paul, Minn. Thursday, June 30, 2011. (MPR Photo/Jeffrey Thompson) link to this photo

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St. Paul, MN, USA — Protesters at the Minnesota State Capitol call for higher taxes on the state's highest wage earners on Thursday June 30, 2011, as Gov. Mark Dayton and legislative leaders tried but failed to reach a budget agreement. (MPR Photo/Jeffrey Thompson) link to this photo

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St. Paul, MN, USA — State employees and supporters held a vigil outside the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul on Thursday evening, June 30, 2011, just hours before state government shut down for lack of a budget agreement between Gov. Dayton and lawmakers. (MPR Photo/Jeffrey Thompson) link to this photo

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St. Paul, MN, USA — Republican lawmakers gathered at the Capitol on Thursday, June 30, 2011, in hopes of acting on a state budget bill before the end of the day. No bill was forthcoming, and Minnesota state government shut down as of midnight Thursday. (MPR Photo/Jeffrey Thompson) link to this photo

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St. Paul, MN, USA — Republican House Speaker Kurt Zellers talks with House members on Thursday, June 30, 2011, at the Minnesota State Capitol. Zellers and other GOP leaders failed to reach a budget agreement with DFL Gov. Mark Dayton before midnight Thursday, which led to a government shutdown beginning at that time. (MPR Photo/Jeffrey Thompson) link to this photo

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St. Paul, MN, USA — A sign hangs in the window of a door at the Minnesota State Capitol Thursday evening, June 30, 2011. The Capitol building and many other state buildings and services are shut down as of July 1, because of the failure of Gov. Dayton and the Legislature to reach a budget agreement. (MPR Photo/Jeffrey Thompson) link to this photo

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St. Paul, MN, USA — Michael Brodkorb, Senate Republican spokesman, gives an update to reporters outside the governor's office Thursday, June 30, 2011 in St. Paul, Minn., as negotiations between Republican lawmakers and Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton continued in efforts to come to a budget agreement to avoid a government shutdown at midnight. (AP Photo/Jim Mone) link to this photo

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St. Paul, Minn. — DFLers Rep. Paul Thissen, left, and Sen. Tom Bakk at the Minnesota State Capitol on Thursday, June 30, 2011. Legislators and Gov. Dayton failed to reach a budget agreement by midnight Thursday, leading to a state government shutdown. (MPR Photo/Jeffrey Thompson) link to this photo

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St. Paul, MN, USA — Minnesota House Majority Leader Matt Dean speaks to the media inside the House Chambers at the Minnesota State Capitol Thursday, June 30, 2011 in St. Paul, Minn. Republican lawmakers gathered in the chamber Thursday evening staging a sit-in to show Democrats they are ready to work to reach a budget agreement. (AP Photo/Genevieve Ross) link to this photo

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St. Paul, MN, USA — DFL Gov. Mark Dayton spoke to reporters Thursday night, June 30, 2011, after budget talks broke off between him and Republican legislative leaders. Dayton declined to sign a "lights on" bill requested by the Republicans which would have kept state government running until a final deal was reached. (MPR Photo/Jeffrey Thompson) link to this photo

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St. Paul, MN, USA — "The answer to the shutdown is now in the governor's office," said Republican Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch, R-Buffalo, at a news conference a few minutes later. (MPR Photo/Tom Scheck) link to this photo